Baby Shower!

In early January, my good friend Alecia called me and said that she and our friend Sarah wanted to throw me a baby shower.  I was very flattered, but also somewhat reluctant.  This is our fourth child and I felt a bit awkward about it. Personally, I love going to baby showers and I don't care what number child someone is having, but I think we judge ourselves harder than we do other people.  Fortunately, my excitement over the idea won out over my reluctance and we set the date for February 1st.  

Alecia and Sarah settled on a baseball theme and everything looked very cute.  The food was fantastic, there were peanuts and cracker jacks, nachos, pigs in blanket, fruit and caramel, cute baseball cookies, and Shelly made some awesome funnel cakes.  We played some games: family feud and a game where people had to guess my answers to various questions (i.e. what is the best thing about having a boy; who is a man I admire; how will we celebrate the babies first birthday, etc.).  It was nice to sit around and be with my friends.  

It was also my first shower.  I had Jack and Anna shortly after we moved to a new city and we hadn't had the chance to make many friends, particularly since I went into the hospital at 31 weeks.  Then, Kara was born so quickly thereafter, that I don't think a shower crossed anyone's mind.  So, I had never had a baby shower (insert sad sigh).  It felt strange to be the center of attention, something I try to avoid, but I loved being there with my friends.

We got some wonderful gifts.  I felt very lucky.  Jack and Anna were only 16 months when Kara was born, so there were lots of things that we once had 2 or 3 of (cribs, highchairs, pack-n-plays, boosters, etc.). When we moved into this house last year (well, in late 2012), I got rid of the last of the big stuff.  We still had some clothes and some of the smaller stuff, like bottles and crib sheets, but even that had been picked through by friends having children over the years.  In other words, we were almost starting at the beginning with this one and it was a bit painful to buy things that we owned just a year or two ago (particularly the things we'd owned in triplicate).  I was very grateful to a neighbor who gave us a crib, bathtub, and some other things.  And then we got so many great things at the baby shower.  When I brought home all the stuff and showed Thomas and the kids, everyone's excitement over Luke increased with each cute item.  It was just a fun experience and I was so thankful to Alecia and Sarah and everyone who came.  

Making those delicious funnel cakes!

Here's Alecia hosting Family Feud.  I think my team won, but it was a close call.

So many nice gifts!  Anna, Jack and Kara quickly claimed the balloons when I got home.

The four pregnant girls, standing in order of due date.  Sarah is March 16, I am March 21, Shelly is April 22, and Jennifer is June 28 (I think I have all those right...)